Mercury tube switch



Sept. 26, 1933. J. SCHNEIDER MERCURYTUBE SWITCH Fild OCT.. 26, 1931 cf Sch ma f/cr Patented Sept. 26, i933 ,1

i MERCURY- TUBE SWITCH Jules Schneider, La Chaux de Fonds,V

Switzerland Application october 26, 1931, serial No. 571,218, 'f and in Switzerland November 1, 1931i 1 Claim. (C1. 2ND-153) This invention relates to a mercury tube switch of the type wherein twoy orrnore contacts penetrating into a closed Vessel partly lle'd with mercury may be electrically connected or disconnected by the mercury according to the'position of the vessel. n

It is an object of the invention to provide a switch of the above character which may be used advantageously with electric light installations and which may be easily operated while' at the same time it is of simple construction.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figures 1V and 2 show the switch in horizontal section and in two different working positions.

Figure 3 is a section along the line HI--III of Fig. 1.

Figurefl is a plan view of a modified switch.

Figure 5 shows this modied switch inaxial section. v u

The switch Vrepresented in Figures l `to 3 coinprises a base portionglfupon which is adapted to rotate, about a pin 12, "a 'cover` 2. The base portion and the cover form together a container, in the interior of which is disposed, a mercury tube 3 supported by a'braclet 15 secured to the hub'portion 14 of the`cover-2. Two contact vmembers 5 and 6 penetrateV into the interior rof the mercurytube and are connected tothe terminalscrewsg and l0 by means of flexible con-` ductors 'I and`8. Tworapertures ll are provided in the base member lyfor entering the current conducting wires to connect them to the terminals 9 and 10X f,

Figure l shows the mercury tube in the position in which the electric circuit is closed; the `tube is horizontal and the mercury electrically cone nects the two contacts 5 and 6. "in Figure 2 the tube 3 is in inclined position and the mercury does not connect the twocontacts. The tube is brought in these two positions by turning the cover 2 about the pin 12. In order to make the cover stay in the position into which it has been brought, the hub 14 has been provided exteriorly with a recess 16 containing a spring 17; This latter is placed between the hub 14 and a washer i8 secured to the pin 12 whereby friction is provided between the base and the cover. The

`movement of rotation of the cover 2 is limited by means o1" a projecting nose 13 moving in a cut away portion 13a of the circular rim'15 of the base.

The modiiication shown in Figures i and 5 comprises also a closed container formed by a base l and a rotatable cover 2. The mercury tube is carried by a bracket 20 connected to a pin 21 traversing the base and adaptedto turn relative to the base. On the other side the sup- .port 20 is provided with. a square extension 23 engaging in an opening of corresponding shape rotation with the cover member, spring means acting on the supporting member for providing friction between thesupporting member and the base, and coacting means on the base and on the cover member for limiting rotation ofk the cover member to substantially less than JULES SCHNEIDER. 

